fracturarpg | [mingle] the space (april).

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[mingle] the space (april).

interim mingle

( WELCOME BACK, TRAVELERS. )

There's nothing but the clatter of train tracks, and the odd feeling of almost floating.

When you wake, it's hard to tell exactly what it is that you're missing - only that you are. There are pieces that aren't quite right, even if you're not sure where those pieces would normally be. Pieces of what, exactly....? Well, if you had to put a word to it, it would be - yourself, probably. Or did you get something back recently? In addition, characters will find that they've been allowed to bring back souvenirs from this most recent trip - trinkets, nothing violent, but items that can fit in your character's pockets, whether that be sentimental or otherwise.

The place you've found yourself in is strange, certainly. It's probably worth exploring a bit. For those who have been here a while, they might notice some expansions. Though it just as easily seems that the only form of welcome or explanation that you have, comes from nothing more than a slab of marble.

It might've changed since the last time you saw it. Today it reads:

(*´ω｀)o That wasn't so bad, was it?
Hey, you know how that old song goes?
Do you believe in magic? (☆▽☆) Do ya?

Hope you found what you were looking for!

You might have changed since the last time you saw yourself too - perhaps with a new emblem on your clothes, or a portrait on your skin. In addition to that, it seems like Home Base is on the fritz again…?

It seems that suddenly and at random, characters will be able to suddenly see visions of memories that aren't their own flash before their eyes. Pieces of your lives or where you were before this will suddenly slam into other's heads, as clearly as if they experienced the event and the feelings themselves. You might have an inkling of where your memory went and what it was - but you'll need to talk it out with that person in order to recollect it in all its strength back to yourself. Don't you want to keep those precious parts of yourself? It's best if you don't fall more to pieces while you're here. (Memories that have been lost in fragments cannot be sent to others - that's more fun for the future!)

There's no need to fret that much though. You've already gone through the ordeal once, and you might be able to see results from it. Or maybe you'll get a glimpse of where you're going next. Even so, it's best that you don't get too comfortable, because there is still the unshakeable feeling:

There's still much more ahead of you.

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[that soft look is going to kill him a second time, thanks! his own smile softens, there, warm and fond.]

...I am, too.

[a pause, and:]

It's not... too strange for you, because of our-- other selves?

It is strange. [ royce says, with a slight wrinkle of his nose. ]

But. Despite that. [ more hesitation. ] I'd like to have something nice, for once.

[ oh - hey, here's a return memory! of roof date.

the locks glitter over the river, and royce catches wen ning sneaking a glance at him, and royce - his chest tightens, and he smiles, despite himself. it's a confusing, overpowering feeling, affection so bright that it almost makes him tear up. it's so much, all at once.

maybe we can do this more often, wen ning suggests, and royce thinks yes, every day, if you'd have me. wen ning tucks his hair behind his ear, and everything in royce wants to reach over to touch, to untuck his hair just so he can tuck it behind wen ning's ear himself.

he wants. and always, he takes when he wants, but this time - this time he doesn't think he deserves it. doesn't think wen ning deserves it. so he doesn't reach out, but his chest burns fiercely. it's not love, not yet, but it could be. ]

['i'd like to have something nice for once,' he says, and wen ning feels like his pulse skips a little along with it. it's not too much, maybe.

but then there's the memory, and if he thought his heart rate was already up, it absolutely is now. royce is sometimes easier for him to read, but knowing just what he's feeling still tends to be difficult; the force of that affection is a lot, and he thinks that if royce had just said so aloud then of course he'd have agreed to every day.

if he knew that was what royce felt when he looked at him, he would have done a few things differently in that life-- whether that feeling was love or not. he's stunned into silence for a few moments, before he exhales a breath, giving royce a somewhat curious look.]

I-- didn't know that you felt that way back then, either.

[and then, realizing he should clarify:]

Ah... Montevallo, again. When I took you to the roof of that building.

[ oh, shit. right, yeah. he remembers the pangs of affection and gratitude more clearly now, and has to take a deep breath. ]

I did. Yes. You were... [ he shifts. ] You paid attention.

[ just like royce in prom world. sometimes that's what it takes. ]

I wanted to. For you.

[for everyone, naturally, but for royce more than most. he wanted to know what would make him happy, how to be his friend, how to try to get him to smile. how to be close.]

...if I'd realized sooner, I wouldn't have waited so long.

[he held back because he was too uncertain of royce's feelings, like he did at the school, like he's doing now.]

[ there's - so much going on in royce's head right now. he has no idea what to do with himself here, other than just hold onto wen ning's hand. ]

Waited so long. [ royce repeats, with a rueful little smile. he holds a little tighter, shifting to face wen ning. ] Waited so long for what?

...to say anything to you.

[his smile at that is a little sheepish, though, as he adds-]

I-it was probably obvious before then, but...

[ royce huffs out a laugh, and then, very carefully, reaches up to push his hood back. his hair is down! it's kind of a mess. whatever. ]

Mm. Not to me. I assume most people don't care much for me, if they don't outright hate me. [ that's so casual, like it's just a fact of life. ] I know that you don't. But it is still... difficult. To know how far it goes.

[his smile brightens a little there, pleased. it's always good to see royce more comfortable.]

I'm used to-- assuming the same.

[considering his reputation as the ghost general and the fact he was clearly a fierce corpse, it was generally a safe assumption to make.]

And I know it isn't that way with most people here, but it's hard for me to know, too.

[there's a little moment of hesitation, there, fingers twitching against royce's like he almost moves their linked hands, but doesn't in the end.]

[ he sort of wishes they weren't sitting in the middle of the food court but it's fine. maybe they can go for a walk or something. ]

Well. [ he says, softer. he glances at their hands, when he feels wen ning's fingers twitch, but doesn't question it. ] I don't do this with anybody. So I suppose you don't need to wonder too hard.

[THEY REALLY ARE STILL SITTING IN THE FOOD COURT, just holding hands. god. wen ning seems to belatedly realize this, too, glancing around with a faint flush before he stands. he doesn't let go of royce's hand, just sort of keeping hold and waiting to see if royce will come with him or if he'll drop the contact.]

...n-neither do I. Should we, um-- we can move if you want?

[he does remember royce being hesitant about handholding in public in montevallo.]

[ a pause, and then: ] I'd be fine with that.

[ as far as he's concerned, it's his and wen ning's business and nobody else's. he doesn't want to hear anything from anybody, so he's happy to move. ]

Where do you want to go?

[he did not

think that far through.

it maybe shows in his hesitance, how he stalls for an answer, before:]

The bar?

[is it just because they talked about montevallo, maybe so.]

[ royce huffs out a laugh. ]

Mm. Bar it is. The airport is also a nice place to sit. [ he likes watching the snow, in the same way he liked watching the locks. ]

Then... we can go there. It should be quiet.

[he thinks royce might appreciate that, too-- and wen ning also likes the snow.]

[ it should be quiet, which is what royce is counting on. he meant it when he said he just wants to have something nice. ]

Then let's go. [ ice cream finished, royce pulls himself up to stand - and doesn't let go of wen ning's hand. ]

[he gives royce a pleased glance, holding on a little tighter- but he's content to walk in silence along the way, neither of them leading, matching royce's steps so they can walk together. it's-- comfortable. he enjoys it, a lot.

the walk gives him some extra time to think, and he's still quiet as they find a place at the airport to settle in, just idly watching the snow drift down and settle.]

[ we're going to say they don't even see anybody on the way there, just so royce's good mood stays in place.

royce is happy to settle as well, watching the snow. he's not a talkative person in general, so he's fine with the silence unless wen ning breaks it. even so, though, he's relaxed. it's the kind of look wen ning might be familiar with, after two worlds. ]

[they absolutely don't, this is fine.

wen ning stays like this for a while, appreciating the quiet, the scenery. the comfort of being able to relax like this, of royce being able to. that alone makes him a little hesitant to speak up, but he does eventually manage.]

...you said it was hard to know how-- how far things extend, a little bit ago.

[he glances aside, briefly, watching the snow continue to fall. wen ning's been hesitant to say anything, uncertain, but royce saying that specifically... well, if he hadn't known in montevallo, there's no way he'll know now. and while normally wen ning would leave things as they are, not wanting to disturb them--

'i don't do this with anybody. so i suppose you don't need to wonder too hard.'

that still echoes in his thoughts, along with a few others' words, from various worlds and here as well.]

It isn't the same as it was back there, I know that w-we really haven't known each other nearly as long, but I...

[he takes a slow breath in, exhales.]

Is it... all right if I want you to stay with me here, too?

[ royce tilts his head just a little to the side to acknowledge wen ning speaking up. he listens, eyes still on the snow.

and as wen ning does speak, his pulse picks up. it's not as if this is the first time wen ning has even asked this, and the more time that passes, the harder it is to push away the way he's felt in both worlds. once is a coincidence - twice is starting a pattern. and he likes this, and he likes how he feels, when he's sitting here.

he worries, because he knows he's missing pieces of himself. if he gets those pieces back, he's not sure how this is going to change. but he's not one to deny himself what he wants, not really.

and he knows wen ning won't ask a lot out of him. they're not that different from their other selves. ]

... Yes. [ he hums, finally looking over at wen ning. ] It is all right.

[he's still nervous, up until he gets that answer-- and then the lingering tension of it eases from him, his smile even fonder than it already has been.

things will probably change, in the future. there are things he's missing too, parts of himself he doesn't know are gone-- but he doesn't think they'll change who he is at his core. and even if he loses this second chance at living...

royce already knows. he thinks it might be okay.

there's not much he trusts himself to say, at the moment, so instead he just draws from memory-- he lifts their joined hands, presses a hesitant kiss to the back of royce's.]

[ sometimes words aren't needed. sometimes it's just easier to let gestures do the talking. when wen ning brings their hands up, royce doesn't pull away or startle, he just smiles, small and soft. he likes that. he likes... how gentle it is. he's not used to being handled so carefully. not like this, anyway, not like he's something to care about.

he waits, just a moment, and then carefully turns their hands over in order to kiss the back of wen ning's hand - it's silly and easy, meant as something to break the tension, but also... well, he means it. ]

[wen ning will handle him carefully as long as royce doesn't get tired of it-- it's in his nature, and he can't stop smiling as that little hand kiss is returned. it's nicer than he expected, to have this sort of thing again. to know they can have it as their usual selves, not only in separate lives.

it doesn't feel like any more words are needed yet, so wen ning just... lets himself lean against him, like he'd begun to do more often in montevallo.]

[ royce - stiffens up, when wen ning leans, but it's only for a second. it's like letting a cat get used to a new house, honestly. he relaxes after a moment, and shifts enough to make it more comfortable for wen ning to lean.

he rests his head against wen ning's, and watches the snow fall. this is good for now. ]

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[mingle] the space (april).

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